JOLDTS is a week-long tri-service professional development seminar for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Officers below the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Major or Squadron Leader. It is organised by the United States of America’s Reserve Officers Association (ROA) and takes place in Orlando, Florida in July during the annual ROA National Convention.

The JOLDTS programme includes group exercises to challenge and sharpen your leadership, communication and group dynamics skills, career guidance, Senior Officer mentoring sessions, and participation in sections of the ROA National Convention. Lectures include Junior Non-Commissioned Officers’ Perspectives on Leadership and Understanding Gender and Generation.

Two Junior Officers went to Florida in July 2009 to take part in JOLDTS. Capt Mike Curtis-Rouse said “The programme was a unique insight into how the ROA motivates and develops its Junior Officers. Spending a week amongst Officers from all seven American services was an opportunity to see the difference in our training cultures.

“The sheer scale of the ROA Congress and the effort that was directed at developing Junior Officers during the week was quite incredible. So many 1* and 2* Officers being made available for mentoring, discussion groups and Q&A sessions with Junior Officers was something I have never seen within our own Officer training, and it left me quite envious of the opportunities that these junior leaders were being given.

“Having served on operations in a multinational headquarters, I considered myself relatively informed about how American Officers operate. Despite this, the opportunity to attend the ROA Convention and participate in the JOLDTS programme gave me a valuable insight into not only how American Officers train, but more importantly why they train that way.”

The UKRFA supports a small number of reservists each year to attend this programme in the USA. Any Reserve Officers, SNCOs or Officer Cadets who are interested in JOLDTS should contact the UKRFA Secretariat on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information.